Breakfast Chia Spinach Smoothie - The Paleo Way to Start the Day

I have been absent from the blog lately for a few reasons; I'm so busy with a one year old and I'm also getting the house ready for our third Bed and Breakfast season. But on top of this I had run out of fresh ideas for health eating. I had gotten myself into a food rut, making the same foods day in day out; partly to please our daughter as I want her to eat the foods that we eat, and partly due to laziness.

I have been eating healthy for a time now, adopting the 5:2 approach. That is I was eating very healthy 5 days of the week and eating whatever I wanted 2 days of the week. Those 2 days were getting worse and worse though, becoming more of a little piglet each weekend. I decided a new approach was needed, a kick up the bum. So I got researching online, and decided the Paleo Diet is for me. (caveman diet). I'm a total carb and wheat junkie so this diet is going to be a tough one. I've allowed myself 3 cheat meals a week though to help me stick with it. Other than these 3 cheats, my meals eliminate ALL dairy, and wheat, grains and pulses. Bye bye hummus, no more sushi, and adios pasta! Instead my meals with follow (loosely) the diet of our paleolithic ancestors (hunter/gatherers) and consist mainly of meat/seafood, fruit vegetables, and nuts and seeds. One of the hardest parts of this diet with be the elimination of sugar and salt and my beloved ketchup.

In mentioning all these sacrifices, the gains are apparently awesome. No hunger pangs, big weight loss, and and renewed healthier body, with extra energy and greater immune system as a result. I've bought the Paleo Diet book by Dr Loren Cordain. He's a very strict guy. When researching Paleo recipes online there are lots of ingredients the Dr Cordain says no to. So as I said I'm following him loosely, buy still steering clear of the grains, pulses and dairy items.

Breakfast for me is rushed affair and with working in the B&B sometimes it's forgotten about until 11am. With this new diet, a hot cup of lemon water first thing is a must, along with a fish oil capsule. Then I have options of every meat under the sun, eggs, smoothies, etc. I am really looking forward to testing some Paleo friendly granola; but for now this smoothie is the perfect healthy quick start to the day. Don't let the colour put you off; it is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of almond milk
• 1/2 cup of water 
• 2 handfuls of washed baby spinach leaves
• 1 banana, sliced (frozen in slices if possible)
• 1/4 mango, chopped
• 1 tsp of chia seeds 

Method

1. Place all ingredients in the blender and whizz up for approx 2 minutes. (if your banana slices aren't frozen then add some ice cubes).